THE MODERATOR: We'll get started. I would like to just ask each player for some opening comment about what it means to be here in Japan playing in the Olympic games.
NASA HATAOKA: In order to participate in the Olympics has been a dream of mine ever since before turning professional. It's been a long waiting time with a one-year delay but finally here and I'm excited.
MONE INAMI: It's been a dream of mine since I was a child as well. For me, because of the delay of one year I got to be eligible to participate and I'm excited to be here.
THE MODERATOR: First question?
Q. You've been here at Kasumigaseki Country Club for at least a week. Did the men's competition, what were your impressions, did it excite you, inspire you or make you nervous?
NASA HATAOKA: I followed some of the groupings on the third and fourth day on the back nine and even though there are no fans I really felt the energy of the country supporting behind the team. So hopefully this week I'll be able to carry the country and do a good job as well.
Q. For either player, did you have a chance to talk with Hideki about what last week was like and if so what did he say?
NASA HATAOKA: I got to play a practice round with him for nine holes earlier this week and we didn't talk about anything too extensive, but at the same time I got to observe him thinking about where from the fairway hitting the approach shot and whatnot, so it was a great learning experience.
MONE INAMI: I got into the site last night, so I briefly saw him a little bit and we talked about the course conditions, what has been the difference between the last time I got to practice at Kasumigaseki Country Club and he also mentioned that because he couldn't win the medal on the guys' side, he sent me a good luck message on the girls' side.
Q. We saw you guys following Matsuyama yesterday, trying to go for the gold, how did that motivate you?
NASA HATAOKA: It was extremely inspiring to watch him trying to go get the medal until the last second. So we will try to win the medal on the girls' side.
Q. You practiced this morning, what was the course condition like and if you could talk about the weather as well.
NASA HATAOKA: The course seemed much firmer than earlier last week when I practiced and this morning they were cutting the rough, but I'm sure throughout the week the course is going to get harder and more difficult.
MONE INAMI: I got to practice for the first time last week in a few years at the Kasumigaseki Country Club and I realized a lot of the greens have changed, there are a lot of more undulations, there are more layers to the greens. And I also noticed that the greens were perfect and they're firm and, depending on where the pin's going to be cut, the course will play very differently.
Q. This year you've seen a lot of the players that are around your same age have won the major championships, does that motivate you?
NASA HATAOKA: Yes, Nelly is the same year as I and Patty I've known her from when I was junior player, so it definitely motivates me to see them play well.
Q. You've been a member of the national Japan team during the amateur career, what was the experience like?
MONE INAMI: I've had the opportunity to play as a member of the national team and I've been very happy with that and playing for the country comes a pressure to do well for the country and I then am able to manage the pressure well once out on the golf course and have fun. So as long as I'm doing well on the course, I should be fine.
Q. Your coach is here with you today this week, talk about your comfort level to have him here.
MONE INAMI: It's really comfortable to have him here so that he could see my game and point out if there's any issue.
Q. For the major championships and the Olympics you're always very focused. Do you do anything to relax?
NASA HATAOKA: For the last week or so I've been thinking about a lot about my game, but having other sports being on TV it's been helping me to relax. In an ideal world I would love to go to the actual site and watch the games in person, but I haven't been able to this year.
Q. When it was announced that you were going to be a part of the Olympics you mentioned that your emotion was purely excitement. Is it still the same?
MONE INAMI: Yes, I still like to focus on having fun out there on the course and by doing so hopefully I can play out on the course as well.
Q. Rumor on the street is you got your nails done just for this week.
MONE INAMI: I got my nails done two nights ago. I was originally thinking about making it very Olympics themed, Japan themed, but I ended up going for the subtle option. Still cute, but still focused on the Olympic theme.
Q. Talk about the pressure and emotions trying to go for the medal in the home country.
NASA HATAOKA: I watched a lot of the Japanese athletes win the gold medals and it's been very inspiring. I hope we can do the same in the women's golf.
MONE INAMI: I played the tournament last week as well so I wasn't here. So with my mentality I'm not focused, I wasn't focused just for the Olympics, since I was in the other tournament. Not really pressured, feeling the pressure, but more focused on having fun and hopefully I can deliver my best performance and play well out here.
Q. You won for the first time on the LPGA Tour in two years, how does that win affect you coming into this week?
NASA HATAOKA: I was really happy to win for the first time in two years. The tournament was cut short to three days because of the inclement weather, so it wasn't like I got to play a full tournament with four days. Earlier in the year I struggled a little bit, so it was hard to believe that I actually got to win the tournament. I'm not playing as well as I did when I won the Marathon Classic, but hopefully in the next few days I can prepare and brace myself for the challenge this week.
Q. You've been playing very well this year and winning a lot of tournaments, talk about what's working for you.
MONE INAMI: First thing is definitely the putter. I've been putting much better than I did the last few years and also before my mentality was that once I win a tournament one year I was very content with it, but this year I want to win every single week, even if I capture one tournament, which has been the difference in my mental side.
Q. At marathon classic I was told that you were using the marker from the Olympic Club. Are you going to be superstitious and use the same one this week?
NASA HATAOKA: Yes, I will, I will use the same one.
Q. You have been playing on the LPGA Tour until this week. Once you arrived on the 24th I saw you trying a lot of different clubs. Are you implementing a new club this week?
NASA HATAOKA: I tried a lot of clubs on the 24th, but I'm not going to implement new clubs this week, it's going to be the same clubs I've been hitting.
Q. You mentioned that you've been playing a lot better later this season than earlier this year, what's working for you? Did you change anything?
NASA HATAOKA: It's a very subtle change, but when I do my take back my wrist, the angle of my wrist was a little bit too open, so I've adjusted that a little bit and now I can control the face of my club a little better.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports